How can I help my girlfriend with her Multiple Sclerosis?!
Question:
How can I help my girlfriend with her Multiple Sclerosis?
I just started dating this girl and she told me she has MS. She takes shots and stuff, but she looks perfectly fine. She told me it's nothing to worry about, but I am anyway. Will she ever be worse? How much support does she need? Is it bad to bring it up?
Answers:
She looks perfectly fine now, because she's in remission. Depending on what type of MS she has, she could be looking not perfectly fine within the next year or within the next ten years (everybody's different). And you be ready to help her in and out of the house, on stairs, in and out of the car, wherever. MS is difficult because of it's unpredictability, but your gf might have an attack in which her symptoms flair up. For a whole list of symptoms visit the National MS society's website and bookmark them for further reference. The attack lasts anywhere from a week to a month and sometimes hospitalization comes into play. If she gets an attack, be at her side and help her with all the daily functions ( eating, ect. ).
She could be worse as the diesease progresses and her mylein decreases, but I honestly believe a cure is on the way. Maybe it's just my wishful thinking, but I'd count on it.
When she brings it up do not change the subject or anything horrible like that. Always lend your ear when she's having trouble, but don't remind her of her diesease randomly when it's not on her mind. Try and get a feel for where she's at and how she's been handling it. MS really can change a person's view on life for the bad or for the good, try and figure out her's.
Your girlfriend needs a lot of support, but don't treat her like a sick person and forget that MS is only part of her being.
Also, make sure she takes her shots. Don't be annoying about it, but if she says she stopped or she's scared really be there for her, because that was the hardest part for me and my boyfriend helped me through it.